Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said today that he and other colleagues in the upper chamber will lead a push to get the Pentagon to reclassify the 2009 Fort Hood shooting as terrorism.
The Department of Defense infamously called the rampage that left 13 dead an act of “workplace violence.” The court-martial of Army Major Nidal Hasan was postponed indefinitely on Monday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces over whether Hasan can keep his beard during trial proceedings.
A movement was started by the Coalition of Fort Hood Heroes to ask Congress to put the heat on the Obama administration to change the classification — and make victims eligible for Purple Hearts in the process.
“Until the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army acknowledge the Fort Hood shooting as the terrorist attack that it was, and step up to accept responsibility, apologize and make good for its mistakes and for the harm that the government policies have caused to us and to the U.S. military, it will continue to dishonor the lives of those lost and the pain and suffering still experienced by those of us who survived,” said Shawn Manning, who was wounded in the attack.
“I respectfully disagree with the Department of Defense decision to classify the Fort Hood shooting as workplace violence. It’s not fair to the victims, and their families, for this incident to be described in that manner,” Graham said in a statement.
“Based upon what we already know, this episode fits squarely into the realm of an act of terrorism. I will be working with my colleagues in the Senate to challenge this characterization by the Pentagon and push for an accurate description of the tragic incident that took place at Fort Hood,” he said. “It was terrorism and it should be described that way. The difference in characterization between workplace violence and an act of terrorism is meaningful, in a variety of ways, to the victims and their families.”
Pentagon spokesman George Little said the DoD wouldn’t “further characterize the incident that occurred at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, 2009″ while Hasan’s court proceedings were still under way.
“Major Hassan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder. As with all pending (court martial) matters, the accused is innocent until proven guilty,” Little said.
“Under military law Major Hasan is presumed innocent,” Graham said. “He will be vigorously defended by counsel and provided due process during his court martial.”
This should be done and should have been done right after it happened.
It is impossible to overstate the part played by the Muslim Brotherhood Mafia in this travesty of injustice.
It is not as if this should have been unexpected. After all, one of the MAIN goals of their infiltration/penetration has been to ‘normalize’ jihad throughout the west, particularly in the U.S. How better to do this, than to equate a member of the military, who screams Allah Akbah, to a postal worker gone beserk? In other words, by fusing the two -in both the courts and the court of public opinion – the line has been crossed.
It is not as if the Muslim Brotherhood hasn’t been embedded in America’s power centers for years. HOWEVER, the culmination of their efforts has been sped up on steroids, under the ‘guidance’ of the Islamist-in-Chief and Huma Abedin. To be sure, has anyone heard of something this outlandish in the past? And the DOD is DIRECTLY under the Commander-in-Chief’s manipulative directives.
To wit, the military has never been as disrespected, as it is under the reign of Obama and this is purposeful – http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/08/09/the-anti-american-commander-in-chief-tasks-his-military-brass-to-do-what-pouring-fuel-onto-a-combustible-flame-law-of-intended-consequences-commentary-by-adina-kutnicki/
I agree. There should not have been any question about it and General Cassy who mentioned DIVERSITY in a speech at the memorial ceremony should be recalled from retirement and should lose all his retirement pay. Use the old fashioned court martial….as seen in old moviews….and rip his buttons off his unifozrm….and especially his stars
Hang the bastard.
The simple fact is that Fort Hood was NOT terrorism.
Terrorism is not yet defined by the UN. The Definition the USA wants is an attack on what the Geneva Convention calls “Protected people”. Non-combatants, women children, etc.
The victims at Fort Hood were military. Like the Pentagon on 9-11, they were legitimate targets.
Terrorism shouldn’t be determined by the means of the attack or those making the attack.
Terrorism should be determined by the TARGET of the attack. Otherwise ANY attack is terrorism, which means NO attack is terrorism. That terrorism is a normal part of the political process.
Haji got the better of the Army. It happens. Any attack on the military is NOT terrorism. The USS Cole wasn’t a terrorist attack. We face an unorthodox enemy who considers suicide a weapon of war. Sneaking an agent into an army transhipment point to murder as many of our soldiers as he can is not really different from sending SEAL team 6 after some Haji. What the Army is calling blue on green attacks in Afghanistan is no different. We don’t like it but I doubt that Haji likes looking over his shoulder for a drone 24/7. We are not going to surrender because some General dropped the ball and got a few of his soldiers killed. They are not going to surrender because the drones get a few goat herders.
Romney was right about not killing our way to victory. Unless, of course, we kill them all. I have been told the thought police will get me for even thinking that.
We still have to kill enough of them to gain a little respect. OR fear.
“I say we pull out and nuke ‘em from orbit. It’s the only way to make sure.”
- FO Ripley
Your definition of the attack only holds water if you concede the premise that islam as an institution is at war with the USA.
…. Of course if that is accepted, then turning mecca and medina into glass has to be put onto the table
An attack is an attack. Who, what, why and where are just details. Japan was not at war when they attacked Pearl Harbor. WTC on 9-11 was an attack. Even though it was not made by another nation. What made it a terrorist attack was that the attack targeted civilians. I’m not interested in semantics. You can call it a kinetic energy event but an attack is an attack is an attack.
IMHO, my grandchildren will end up exterminating Islam. Before that, we need to try other techniques. It all starts with acknowledging that Islam is at war with America and since they want war, we need to give them all they want. When they have had enough they will let us know. Then we decide if we want to stop.
It is plainly obvious that “islam,” is a system of governance. It is further apparent that it is a governmental system that is incompatible with the west and all of western civilization. Destroying mecca and medina should not only be on the table, but should be the first and foremost response.
Not that any politicos have the chutzpah to get it done…..
I have to agree. Striking as US Servicemembers deep in home country is not an act of terrorism. It is an act of war. Not really all that different than an air strike on a terrorist training camp. Strike military targets deep in enemy territory is not terrorism. Killing civilians for no good reason is.
You are all correct in that this is not “terrorism” per se,
But it certainly IS closer to terrorism than “workplace violence”
And I think thats the point folks are trying to make.
The Fort Hood victims were not “office workers” shot by a “disgruntled coworker”, they were soldiers attacked by the Enemy.
Since “The Enemy” in this case is an actual documented and therefore “qualified” US Soldier, not an outside imposter who simply stole a uniform and an ID card to get on the base that day, it muddies the water for the perfect definition.
Of the two choices (if there are to be just these two) I vote Terroism over Workplace Violence, and all wounded should get Purple Hearts
If charges that more accurately reflect Open Treason and engaging actual combat operations WITH AND IN SUPPORT OF the Ememy can be effected, that would be the “right” call.
But I doubt the politics if the situation will allow that.
So with that reality, I have go with pushing for the “terrorism” declaration, because I think its all we can “get” without the P/C mockery of that “Workplace Violence” Crap they are insulting our soldiers and our intelligence with.
if, as you maintain, the attack cannot be “terrorism” because of the nature of the target (and I grant there is solid basis for this assertion) we are left with one alternate classification… it was an act of war. That being the case, the perp must be tried immediately (stop this insanity over his facial hair.. what does THAT have to do with warfare? Plenty of bearded attackers shout allah ackbar and kill soldiers) for his murders. Since he is ostensibly an American citizen, his attack on a US Military target can be interpreted as nothing less than treason. The penalty for that is death, typically by firing squad. WHY are we wasting so much public money delaying, playing games, etc with this scoundrel? There seems little question he entered controlled military space, armed ocntrary to military protocols at the time and place, and ended the lives of a number of soldiers. Put the evidence in front of the court martial and get a verdict.
IF this was an act of war, as seems so, declare it as such, issue the Purple Hearts to the men killed in the ine of duty (even serving chow at the mess hall on a military base is “line of duty” if that task was assigned an individual), and allow proper recognition for the families and survivors. Playing political games is intolerable and should be ended. High marks for this Senator Graham for taking this stand, and pressing the matter. One more reason to take out the trash on 6 November. Perhaps reestablishing Fort Hood as a military installation with serious business, rather than allowing it to be merely a “workplace”, could be effected by a different Commander in Chief, though that implies the present occupant of oour house alongside the Potomac truly IS a CinC, a designation with which I struggle…..
The problem is the senior officers in the military are often politically correct buttkissers instead of war fighters. They sucked their way to the top and they’re more concerned about making sure the gay boys are happy in the military and that nobody offends the Muslim barbarians than they are about killing our enemies and raining hell on their countries.
Not to belittle the depth of the tragedy for its victims, their families and friends, we need to recognize that this is much bigger than the Fort Hood Jihad instance taken as an isolated case.
What we are dealing with is institutionalized cowardice. There are so many examples: We have been at war with Iran for 30 years, and we call it “a concern”. This regime is a deadly enemy, not a negotiating partner. Our institutions have been penetrated by agents of jihad at the highest levels. People who are not qualified for security clearance have been granted it. These clearances have to be taken away. The official documents of the military and other institutions have been sanitized by a systematic ban on words such as Islam, Jihad, terrorism, etc… So nobody can stand up and speak up! Preemptive dhimmihood!
What are we going to do about it? If we do the right things, the trial of jihadists like Mjr. Hassan will be resumed, properly. What are we waiting for?
“what are we waiting for?”
January 20 and the hopeful replacement of the current occupant of the white house.
The building formally known as the Pentagon has become a G-d damned mega mosque whore house of servicing Muslims. The Perfumed Pimps there masquerading as Generals have no regard for America and it’s Constitution or their own troops and they are all out sons-of-bitches, traitors, and chronic dhimmis!
Time for a new tag line.
“the only good Mosque is a burning Mosque”
Or maybe;
“The only good Mosque is a radioactive Mosque.”
I agree with Roark with one exception: Shave his beard first and then hang the bastard.
While I am not a member of the JAG corps, I do understand that the UCMJ has some VERY strict penalties, and on paper is a bit more restrictive in what is labeled a crime, and more harsh with penalties. On paper. Where in the Civilian world there is really only one crime that carries the death penalty (1st degree murder) UCMJ has several. Some, but not limited to, treason, murder, rape desertion during time of war ect.
Hassan, I refuse to refer to him by rank, could certainly face the death penalty but will it be carried out? or plea bargained down? I for one hope not.
I wonder, why wasn’t he charged with treason?
The Pentagon is, first and foremost, a servant of the civilian government. That’s why General Martin “Tuxedo” Dempsey is there, to carry out the orders of his civilian leaders. Therefore, once again we must point the rigid finger of shame at the Obama team of groveling, hyper-librul sycophants.
Another General might resign in protest and go into an honorable retirement. Some day this could happen. I don’t see Tuxedo retiring, though. He likes that dress uniform too much. I hope a President Romney would hold a little ceremony at the White House in honor of the retirement of the good General. “Thank you for your service, Martin. I hereby decree that you may wear dress blues into perpetuity in your retirement and not fear being arrested for impersonating a soldier.
I’ll drink to that!
The WH was quick to label this attack as “Workplace violence” because they were trying to downplay anything negative about Islam. In fact, Hasan was quoted as using Allas name during the attack. In addition, he had communicated with overseas terrorists beforehand. The guy should be executed.
PS, there were reports that Hasan was a member of Obama’s election committee which explains how he received promotions even after making anti-American comments.
The ‘losing the beard’ argument is null. Best to leave the beard alone, just remove the head!
DoD staffer’s notes from 9/11 obtained under FOIA
http://www.outragedmoderates.org/2006/02/dod-staffers-notes-from-911-obtained.html
In a just world the Muzzy Major’s bloody head would have been rolling in the sand before sundown!